How Did The First Opium War Influence European Imperialism

The history of early nineteenth-century Europe can be viewed through the exploitation of the people by governments of European nations. By viewing various historical events like the rule of Napoleon, industrialization, the first Opium War, and Belgium's imperialism we can clearly see this exploitation. The rule of Napoleon influenced nationalism in France, Germany, and other countries in both positive and negative ways. The ideas of Joep Leerssen on nationalism also display how nationalism can lead to the exploitation of the people through defining exactly how nationalism can be defined by exploring movements like the ‘pan-movements’. The Manifesto had little impact on European politics during the time of its release, however, when we look

The First Opium War is the best example of this imperialist lens, this war was fought between China and the United Kingdom, with the British attempting to defend the opium trade in China. Imperialism is defined as, “the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation, especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas.”[7] The first Opium War had a significant impact on imperialism because of the relationship between Great Britain and China. Great Britain wanted to open China to trade because they had strict trade regulations. China had an opium problem, but Great Britain wanted to sell China opium because the people were addicted. This started the first Opium War which Britain was able to win because of their superior navy, which forced China to open trade. Nationalism in Great Britain grew because people knew how powerful their military was during that time. European politics were affected as well because the relationship between China and Great Britain was heavily damaged by this. The damage is best viewed through a paper that was agreed to at a public meeting in 1842 called The People of Canton: Against the English. It states, “Verily, the English barbarians murder all of us that they can. They are dogs, whose desires can never be satisfied. Therefore

King Leopold II ruled the Congo Free State, which he founded as his personal colony. His reign enslaved the Congolese people to forced labor, violence, and exploitation. This ruthless dictatorship exemplifies the devastation that imperialism can inflict on people. The imperialism displayed by Belgium can be viewed best through the satirical piece written by Mark Twain, King Leopold’s Soliloquy which states, “claiming and holding its millions of people as my private property, my serfs, my slaves; their labor mine, with or without wage; the food they raise not their property but mine; the rubber, the ivory and all the other riches of the land mine—mine solely—and gathered for me by the men, the women and the little children under compulsion of lash and bullet, fire, starvation, mutilation and the halter.”[9] In this situation, King Leopold is considered to be the government as Belgium was a small country at the time. This quote shows the brutality and exploitation the government used to get what they wanted, in this case, materials. Twain’s criticism of the imperialism brought by King Leopold is based on a strong mistrust of the causes and outcomes of colonialism. His argument that imperialism is ultimately a mission of dominance and control reveals the brutality and inhumanity that are frequently concealed under the language of progress and civilization. By offering a scathing